Veterans of the Armed Forces living in Quebec are being offered a new license plate, and the provincial president of the Royal Canadian Legion has set an ambitious goal.
"I committed myself to doubling the number of plates, veteran plates, that are out there," says Kenneth Ouellet.
"Right now we have over 9,000 veterans' plates that are active. We are aiming for 20,000 plates by the end of one year."
The old license plate, with a single poppy in the centre, was introduced in 2005. The new design features a field of poppies, the Legion's iconic single poppy, images of a man and a woman in uniform, and the word veterans.
"It's a very distinctive, very beautiful plate. It's one of a kind in North America," says Ouellet.
Motorists who already have a poppy plate will be contacted by the SAAQ about receiving the new one at no charge. Other applicants have to file a request through the Legion's Quebec Command and pay a one-time fee of $15. The Legion checks to see whether the applicant is actually a veteran or a current member of the Armed Forces, and certifies the application for the SAAQ.